Microbial preparations for controlling the number of pests (phytophages): mechanisms of action and benefits of use

Abstract

The article demonstrates environmentally safe and effective ways to control insect pests with the help of biological products. The main representatives of biological products producers, their mechanisms of action on pests, as well as advantages and features of their application are described. The mechanism of action of preparations based on Bacillus thuringiensis is explained in detail and the issue of using this microorganism to create resistant GM crops is touched upon. The details of the mechanism of action of entomopathogenic fungi on insect pests and the scheme of infection, reproduction and their distribution are demonstrated. It is noted that entomopathogenic viruses are the most specific among all entomopathogenic microorganisms. They are characterized by extreme selectivity of pathogenic action, i.e. the ability to infect one or more arthropod species without harming others. This feature is a guarantee of safety for non-target organisms, but despite their success in pest control, their difficulty in mass production and easy degradation in the environment makes them less popular among farmers. The main producers of biological products, their mechanisms of action on pests, as well as their advantages and peculiarities in application are described. The importance of integrating different methods of pest control and combining different biological products to obtain maximum yields in environmentally friendly plant cultivation is shown